Petrology and Geochemistry | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Petrology and Geochemistry Program (Funding Opportunity No. 15-557) is a discretionary grant opportunity in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 47.050, Geosciences). Its core purpose is to fund basic research that improves understanding of how Earth formed and evolved, starting from the earliest stages of planetary accretion and early differentiation and continuing through later changes driven by igneous and metamorphic processes. In practical terms, the program is aimed at studies that explain how rocks and minerals form, transform, and record Earth history under high-temperature conditions, including deep Earth environments.

Projects typically supported by this program focus on the petrology and high-temperature geochemistry of igneous and metamorphic rocks, including direct or indirect samples of the mantle. Common research themes include processes such as magma generation and evolution, metamorphic reactions and phase equilibria, element and isotope behavior at high temperatures, and the physical and chemical conditions that govern mineral stability. The scope explicitly extends to mineral physics, volcanology, and economic geology, so proposals may range from fundamental investigations of mineral properties at extreme pressures and temperatures, to studies of volcanic systems and their products, to geochemical and petrologic research that informs how ore-forming systems operate. While the emphasis is on basic science, the program recognizes that these topics often connect to broader questions about Earth dynamics, crust-mantle exchange, and the interpretation of the geologic record.

In addition to hypothesis-driven Earth science research, the solicitation invites proposals that build or significantly advance research capabilities for the community. This includes the development of analytical tools (for example, improvements in microanalytical or isotopic measurement approaches), new or refined experimental techniques for simulating igneous and metamorphic conditions, and theoretical or computational models that can be applied broadly in igneous and metamorphic petrology, high-temperature geochemistry, and geochronology. In other words, the program is not limited to field or sample-based studies; it also supports method and model development when it clearly enables or accelerates progress on key scientific questions in these areas.

Funding is structured as competitive grants with an estimated total program funding level of about $13.5 million and an expected number of roughly 60 awards. Individual award sizes are listed with a floor of $30,000 and a ceiling of $500,000, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity uses recurring target dates rather than a single annual deadline, with two target dates per year indicated in the solicitation history. The opportunity was originally posted March 17, 2015, with later target dates reflected through January 11, 2016, and it was archived February 13, 2019, which matters mainly for historical reference and for locating the original NSF publication (NSF 15-557) that governed proposal preparation at the time.

Eligibility covers a range of U.S.-based organizations involved in research and education. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. universities and two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) applying on behalf of faculty. The solicitation also allows submissions from non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar U.S. organizations associated with educational or research activities. Other federal agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may be eligible as well, but they are instructed to contact the appropriate NSF program before preparing and submitting a proposal, reflecting additional coordination requirements that can apply to those entities.

For access and administrative support, the announcement points applicants to NSF and Grants.gov assistance channels, including NSF Grants.gov support (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov) for technical issues accessing the full announcement. The key takeaway is that this program is designed for foundational Earth science research centered on igneous and metamorphic systems and high-temperature geochemistry, while also encouraging proposals that expand the community's ability to measure, model, and experimentally reproduce the processes that shape Earth from its earliest formation through ongoing geologic activity.

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